Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
THE MINISTER of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh aka ‘Napo’, has stated that he is not comfortable with power cuts popularly called dumsor, being experienced in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region lately.
In this regard, he has directed the leadership of the power supply chain to join him to Kumasi so that they would collaborate and find lasting solution to the problem.
“I have directed the leadership of the Electricity of Company of Ghana (ECG), GRIDCo and the others to join me to Kumasi, starting on Tuesday,” the minister said in Kumasi where he was presented the enviable ‘Educational Icon of Ashanti’ award during the Ashanti APEC Excellence Awards, at the KNUST on Saturday.
According to Napo, who doubles as the NPP MP for Manhyia South, the timely visit, would enable all the leaders of the agencies in the power supply chain namely GRIDCo and ECG to be abreast with the challenge at hand so they would solve it immediately.
The Energy Minister, who was once the Minister of Education and is credited for the successful implementation of the Free SHS, said he could not sit in his office in Accra as Kumasi and other regions experienced intermittent power cuts.
According to him, his ministry’s policy is to solve power challenges in the country and had launched what he called ‘cut and fix’ known in local parlance as ‘Dum Siesie’ to contain the situation.
He, however, stated that aside the ‘Dum Siesie’ if there is an emergency in the Ashanti Region or any part of the country, there should be ways to tackle it quickly.
The Energy Minister and his team would spend two days in region, and would be visiting the various ECG and GRIDCo installations.
Also, as part of the tour, Napo would visit Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, where he would officially introduce himself as Energy Minister to the Asante King.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi